Abdominal supporter



(No Model.)

B. 0.-GLINNING.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

No. '251,431 Patented Dec. 27,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLEN G. GLINNING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ABDOMINAL SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,431, dated December 27, 1881.

Application filed April 9, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLEN 0. GLINNING, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Abdominal Supporter, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to so construct an abdominal supporter that the same will retain its proper position on the person of the wearer, and so that the abdomen will be sup-.

ported without chafing or undue pressure.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved abdominal supporter; Fig. 2, a side view, and Fig. 3 a sectional view of part of the supporter.

The supporter comprises the two front pads, A A, the rear pad, B, and the hip-pads D D, the front pads being suspended by means of straps a a from a waist-belt, E, from which the rear pad, B, is also suspended by straps b I). The waist-beltis furnished with shoulder-straps d d, so that the snpporteris carried by the waist and shoulders. The front pads, A A, are connected together by straps and buckles e, and the hip-pads D are connected to the front pads, A, and rear pad, B, by lacingsf, sothat by a proper adjustment of said lacings and of the straps and buckles connecting the front pads the position of the latter on the abdomen and of the pads D D on the hips can be varied as comfort suggests.

In order that the front pads, A A, may form a proper support for the abdomen they are stiffened with any suitable material, introduced as a lining; but in order to counteract the objectionable rigidity which this would cause, if the stiflening extended throughout said pads, the latter are each provided with two gores, g, extending from the upper edge down to, or almost to, the bottom of the pad. These gores are flexible, but inelastic, so that while they render the stiffened portions of the pads sufficiently flexible to permit the same to conform closely to the contour of the abdomen they do not exert that pressure upon the abdomen which is an objection to the use of an elastic gore. The gores g are, however, contracted at and near the top, so as to exercise a confining effect upon the upper portion of the abdomen and prevent the latter from rising when the wearer of the supporter is seated.

To the center of the rear pad, B, is secured the rear end ofa strap, '17, which has two branch es, m m, the front ends of which are connected to downward extensions, n it, formed on the pads AA, at and near the adjacentedges of the same. The rear pad, B, has stiffening-pieces mm; but in the center of said pad is a yielding portion, g which rests against the spine, so that while proper pressure on the back at the opposite sides of the spine is assured the spine itself is relieved from pressure. The stiffening-pieces 00 m, moreover, serve to prevent lateral movement of the rear pad, B, and thus insure the maintenance of the entire structure in its proper position on the person,-as the hip-pads and front pads cannot be moved out of position as long as lateral movement of the rear pad is impossible.

The hip-pads D are made tapering, in order to accommodate the swelling of the hips.

I do not desire to claim, broadly, a supporter consisting of front pads, a back pad, and hippads connected together; nor do I claim front pads having elastic gores; but

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent The within-described abdominal supporter, the same consisting of the two front pieces or pads, A A, each provided with two gores, 99, the hip or side pads, D D, and rear pad, B, with lacings and the stifl'ening-pieces a w, to gether with shoulder-supports, allas set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

.ELLEN O. GLINNING. Witnesses:

JAMES F. TOBIN, HARRY SMITH. 

